About Resource
Seeding Action is an ASTC initiative that supports science centers, museums, and public engagement networks in adopting and scaling approaches that invite and inspire broad participation in planetary health solutions. In the guide Cultivating a Culture of Active Hope: Strategies for Science Centers and Museums to Invite and Inspire Planetary Health Action Seeding Action makes the case for an “active hope” approach to public engagement, one which calls for a cultural shift away from silent concern and fatalism towards engagement with solutions.
This approach seeks to help individuals cultivate a “planetary health action-oriented identity” which in turn will help drive broader cultural transformation. The guide presents 5 evidence-based strategies for engaging individuals along this transformation and describes their use in science center and museum programming in diverse contexts.
For more on the Seeding Action Initiative, visit https://seeding-action.org/.
How to Use
Consult this guide to understand more about the “active hope” engagement approach, which calls for engaging public audiences with solutions, inviting them to act on these solutions, and providing inspiration for doing so in a manner that aligns with their personal values and priorities.
When applied consistently over many interactions, 5 strategic communication tactics have been found to help advance this effort, and they are widely applicable in most contexts for most goals. These tactics include:
- Conveying a sense of active hope - we can still avoid much destruction and suffering, if we act now
- Focusing on solutions - use concrete examples and demonstrations of what can be done individually and collectively and why our actions make a difference
- Connecting through shared values - the big-picture reasons of why we should all care about the health of our planet and play a role in improving it
- Spotlighting local challenges and opportunities - the problems and solutions that are close to home
- Preparing for, but not focusing on, vocal opponents - develop a strategy to mitigate their impact, but devote most energy to those audiences open to action
Consult this guide to learn more about each of these tactics, their accompanying resources, and how they have been used in science centers and museums across diverse sociocultural contexts.
Location: Washington, DC
Author(s)/Organization: Rose Hendricks, ASTC
Publication Year: 2022
Tags
Attributes:Aims for Action, Centers Community Priorities
Outcomes:Capacity for Civic Engagement, Sustainable Solutions for Society
Approaches:Civic Engagement & Policymaking, Dialogue & Deliberation
Type:Guidebooks & Manuals